1. Music artist

This is a scam that is common in New York City (Times Square especially or the Las Vegas strip). An overly friendly guy will approach you and offer a free CD of his music.

He claims that you would be doing him a huge favour if you were to accept it and play it in your country. Some would even autograph the CD as a show of sincerity.

Should you accept the CD, you will then be asked for payment. If you refuse, the scammer will refuse to take back the CD and make a scene claiming that you have stolen it.

Some would even have a gang of accomplices surround you and pressurize you into paying.

What to do:

There are actually legitimate sellers. But to spare yourself the trouble, spot these sellers from afar and avoid them.

2. Taking photos with TV / movie characters

How it works:

You can find tons of these characters on Broadway, such as spiderman, Elsa from Frozen, Ironman, etc.

If you were to take photos with them, be prepared to pay a tip, or be hounded or even attacked.

What to do:

If you must, either pay or take a photo from afar without them realizing it. Or just pay up for a cheap thrill.

3. Fake Las Vegas sign photographers

Las Vegas sign

How it works:

At the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign, you will find many official-looking photographers ready to help you take a photo.

Note that there are no such official jobs around and these scammers will help you a photo first and then hound you for a tip.

What to do:

Just ask a fellow tourist to help you take a photo.

4. Fake charity peddlers

Charity peddler in New York City. Source: nydailynews.com

How it works:

There have been many reports of scammers claiming to represent some charity at the Times Square in New York.

For instance, they may claim to represent homeless people working for the Time Square news, or that they are helping people living in poverty in Africa, or even saving endangered animals from extinction etc.

To sound even more convincing, they come armed with fanciful brochures and postures.

Once you are hooked, they will ask you to sign on a form and to make a donation.

What to do:

If you really want to donate, go online, search for legitimate, registered organizations and donate to them instead.

5. The three card monte scam

Three card monte scam in New York City. Source: nypost.com

How it works:

Besides in the US, the shell game is also especially common in Europe (e.g. Germany, UK).

This game involves the showing and then shuffling of three cards (e.g. 2 black, 1 red). You have to guess which card is the odd one out. Guess correctly and you double your money.

The scam is perpetrated by a group of scammers. There is one dealer, two to three in the crowd acting as onlookers, one playing the game and one on the lookout for the police.

This game seems easy but it is impossible to win, because the dealer uses a sleight of hand trick to swap the card.

If you see anyone winning, that is the accomplice. This is so as to tempt tourists into thinking that it is easy to win.

Watch out for those accomplices acting as onlookers, as they will pressure you into playing or intimidate you into staying. Some may even steal your valuables when you are distracted.

If you’re interested, here’s a video exposing how the scam is done:

What to do:

Avoid – it’s impossible to win.

6. Restaurant gratuity / double tip scam

Double tip scam. Source: nydailynews.com

How it works:

It has been reported that restaurants at Times Square have been charging customers double the tip, by adding an additional gratuity on the bill.

For those who are lucky, you might get a waiter who tells you that you don’t have to leave a tip at the end.

What to do:

Go through your restaurant bill carefully.

Also, do some online research or check with your hotel / hostel staff on recommended places locals go to eat at.

Otherwise, you can also consider joining a food tour for an authentic, local food experience!

TourRadar: all the best multi-day tours by established names like Intrepid Travel, G Adventures, etc can be found here – popular food tours:

Get a good travel insurance (e.g. World Nomads, trusted by Lonely Planet and National Geographic – our review) which covers loss of valuables.

11. Shake my hand and buy my item to let go

Union Square. Source: tripsavvy.com

How it works:

As the title suggests, there have been reports (e.g. at Union Square) of a guy coming up to you to shake your hand while holding a box of candies.

Once you fall for it, he is not going to let go until you pay an inflated price for the box of candies he is holding.

What to do:

Decline and avoid.

12. Casino theft (many variations)

Vegas casino

How it works:

There have been reports of theft at casinos, in many different variations:

At female toilets in casinos, a thief can reach over the stall and grab handbags / purses off the door’s hooks

A scammer might drop some money on the floor and ask if those are yours. Once you are distracted, the scammer’s accomplice will swoop in and steal your bucket of coins or tokens.

In casinos with coinless machines, there are scammers who roam around trying to find machines with high credit. Next, they distract you, and an accomplice swoops in to cash out the machine by pressing the button to print the redemption ticket and then escapes with it.

What to do:

Avoid putting yourself in the aforementioned situations and stay alert.

13. Can you help cash out my chips / can you help me?

Roulette

How it works:

This can come in many variations as well.

One common variation is near the casinos, where the scammer will say a sob story such as:

I was winning lots of money, but the casino accused me of card counting and threw me out. I didn’t even get a chance to cash out of my chips. I have $10,000 worth of it now, can I pay you $500 to help me cash it?

However, for me to trust you, can you pass me your wallet so that I can exchange it back with you once you cash in those chips?

Those are obviously fake chips but there are still tourists who fall for it.

Other variations could be for instance, claiming to be robbed and needing money for transport to the hotel / police station; or asking you to buy a jewellery which is obviously fake at an inflated price, etc.

What to do:

If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Never accept such kinds of propositions from a stranger.

14. VIP pass scam

Las Vegas. Source: visitlasvegas.com

How it works:

You will find VIP passes being promoted in nearly all casinos or strip corners in Las Vegas.

This pass, which may come with a free drink or expedited entry, doesn’t actually work as advertised.

The free drinks which these passes entitle you to are usually limited to a certain time. Expedited entry also doesn’t work if the club is full, which defeats the purpose of the pass in the first place.

There are even fake passes being sold, so do be wary of that.

Of course, there are legitimate VIP passes, but be prepared to spend more.

Also there is a risk of being rejected by the club hosts and employees who claim that these are fake. This is because the host / employee did not take a cut of the profits of the pass and so would not care.

Pass your pass to the cashier instead of to them.

What to do:

One way is to buy it at crowded areas or where there’s a police presence, and get the promoter’s name and mobile number.

Else, do your research to find the legitimate promoters / places to buy from. Consider these sources:

Direct from company / official counters.

Licensed retailers.

Your hotel / hostel if such a service is provided.

Day tour platforms like GetYourGuide (global leader) – a couple such passes:

15. Street cards / escort cards in Las Vegas

Escort cards. Source: kreyolasjourneys.com

How it works:

These cards are given out on the strip, with each card showing a prostitute on it and the price of that prostitute.

Note that the fee shown on the card is for the prostitute to show up, anything else comes with extra charges.

And if you do not know, prostitution here is illegal. As such, they usually use fake pictures and aliases. Thus the person who turns up is not going to look like the one on the card!

What’s worse, because prostitution here is illegal, the person who turns up is more likely to be here to rob you, instead of engaging in any sexual activities.

Even for the real prostitutes, they are likely to rip you off and are unlikely to have gone through any health check ups.

What to do:

Do your research to find the legitimate promoters / places to buy from.

Don’t act on these cards but if you do, be prepared to pay out of your pocket. Or you can simply head to the legal red light district.

16. Free meal at a casino

How it works:

You might meet an attractive stranger, who will try to hit it off with you.

Once trust is established, he / she will claim that he / she has just won big at the casino, and offers to treat you at some expensive restaurant.

Should you accept, halfway through the meal, your new found friend will excuse himself / herself to the bathroom and not come back.

What to do:

Reject such offers, especially from a random stranger.

17. Fake monks

How it works:

Fake monks are a global enterprise, you can find them everywhere around the world (e.g. Australia, Hong Kong).

These scammers, dressed in orange robes, go around tourist attractions. They offer golden medallions and greetings of peace in exchange for donations to help some temple which they are from.

If you refuse, they will turn aggressive and hound you, or snatch the medallion back as a last resort.

But that’s not all, if you’re unlucky, the fake monk might not be the only one hounding you.

What to do:

Decline and avoid.

18. “Free” comedy show scam

Broadway Comedy Club.

How it works:

In New York, there have also been reports of this scam, where scammers hand out free comedy club entrance tickets.

They claim that famous comedians such as David Letterman or Jimmy Falon have previously performed at these clubs.

Should you go, what you will find is an old, rundown bar, where you will be forced to buy two drinks at the minimum.

You should still count yourself lucky. This is because the unluckier ones might even have been scammed into paying for the “free” ticket and lied to that the drinks are free!

What to do:

Do not buy from streets touts or unofficial sellers.

Only buy a ticket through these sources:

Direct from company / official counters.

Licensed retailers.

Your hotel / hostel if such a service is provided.

Day tour platforms like GetYourGuide (global leader) – some such shows:

Get a good travel insurance (e.g. World Nomads, trusted by Lonely Planet and National Geographic – our review) which covers loss of valuables.

2. Metrocard scam

Metrocard. Source: nydailynews.com

How it works:

There have been reports where people pick up abandoned cards usually with little value left in them and resell them for a higher price, while claiming that it is actually a “discounted” price.

In fact, it was reported that a homeless man made over $20,000 just from reselling these cards.

Note that it is illegal for anyone besides the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to sell these cards.

What to do:

Only buy your transportation cards from the authorized MTA dealers.

3. Ferry to Staten Island / fake tickets

Staten Island ferry

How it works:

Found on most tourists’ list of things to do, a trip on the iconic ferry to Staten Island is a great way to see New York’s harbour.

You might find street hawkers pushing these tickets at any price. But thing is, you do not have to pay to get on board!

Besides the Staten Island ferry ticket, there are other “fake” and overpriced tickets sold by unlicensed groups.

For instance, the infamous SJQ Sightseeing tours scammers who wear dark blue vests with those words, sell new Statue of Liberty tickets for $80-100, reused Statue of Liberty tickets and even Battery Park entrance tickets for $20 when entrance is free!

SJQ Sightseeing tours touts. Source: awalkintheparknyc.blogspot.com

Do beware of these crooks who operate around lower Manhattan!

What to do:

Do some research before buying these tickets. E.g. is a ticket required? If so, where is the authorized outlet to buy from?

That will prevent your cards’ details from being skimmed by thieves with a mobile RFID reader / scanner.

5. Electronic pickpocket

How it works:

If you carry a credit card, your cards can get swiped by a thief with a RFID scanner.

How this works: credit cards / e-passports / key cards etc contain a RFID chip (you can find a symbol of radio waves on your card). This chip is what allows you to make contact-less payments / perform actions through radio waves.

However, a crook walking by with a device can swipe your credit card’s numbers and expiration date or personal information from other cards.

6. Fake front desk phone calls

There have been many reports of this in Georgia (and also all around the country).

Scammers use smuggled phones acting as fake front desk personnel, calling guests in the wee hours to request for credit card information and there are different ways of doing so:

Method #1: they claim that the hotel’s computer system has crashed or that there is an error with the number, and a number of sleepy guests do get caught off guard.

Method #2: the scammer claims that he just wants to verify your card details on record. He will provide the last 4 digits of your card, which are obviously wrong. When you point out the error, he will act confused and ask you to tell him all the numbers.

What to do:

Do not provide your credit card details over the phone no matter the occasion. Cut the phone and check with the front desk if in doubt.

7. Room service

Room service. Source: uk.businessinsider.com

How it works:

Room service charges are usually charged to the credit card on file with the hotel.

If the staff demands cash when delivering your food, double check with the reception.

What to do:

Double check with the front desk if asked to pay cash upfront for room service.

8. The bump, drop and spoiled item scam

Seattle

How it works:

Similar to the earlier scam, this can occur in many variations.

One is where the scammer will knock into you and drop a pair of broken glasses (can also be a broken phone, etc), then claiming that you have broken it.

They usually do this in a crowded place as it is easier to execute.

Further, it is also easier to intimidate you by claiming loudly with an accusatory tone that you have broken the item.

What to do:

When caught in such a situation, ignore and walk off.

Or you could accuse the other guy of bumping into you and threaten to call the police to mediate (number at the end of this article). That should solve the problem.

9. Italian suit scam

How it works:

This is one that also happens in Italy / Europe and it goes like this.

A scammer will happen to be lost and approach you for directions to the airport, as he is flying back to Italy.

Should you help him, he will thank you, make some small chat and then offer you some suits at a low price. He claims to have too many of these and he would like you to have it as appreciation for your help.

If you accept it, this also helps him as it is a great hassle to bring all these back home.

What to do:

These suits are mere thrift store stuff and not worth the few hundreds the scammer will ask for. Firmly reject.

10. “Dynamic” prices at hotdog / food carts

How it works:

Beware of those food carts on the street which do not post their prices.

Often times, they price discriminate and charge tourists / foreigners a higher price.

If you smell something amiss at the price they offer, simply walk away and the price offered will drop.

What to do:

Buy from stalls with prices displayed or simply walk away if charged an exorbitant price.

11. Beggars with babies

Beggar. Source: nycvalues.blogspot.com

How it works:

It was reported in 2014 that there was a group of women who spent long hours on the streets begging, using babies / toddlers with signs claiming that they are jobless and hungry.

They would work in shifts, passing the babies / toddlers to the woman on the next shift.

What to do:

Ignore them (they could easily get government services but chose not to, as they prefer cash) to discourage such actions.

12. Timeshare scams

Resort

How it works:

How it works over here is that you will find well dressed salespeople offering you a free gift or discounted tickets to tourist attractions.

However, the catch is that you have to attend a timeshare sales pitch.

What happens next is that you will be subject to high pressure sales techniques over the next two hours either make a full purchase or sign up for a paid trial.

What to do:

Do not bother partaking in timeshare sessions. The timeshare apartment is likely a poor investment.

Plus you will almost never get the free gift due to the onerous terms and conditions. Or you might even have to pay to receive the “free” gift.

13. White van speaker scam

White van. Source: bbb.org

How it works:

This is a really old scam that still exists (also in Canada) which targets both locals and tourists.

The scammers, working in groups of 3, will wear a company uniform and drive their van around.

They would approach you and explain that due to some corporate error (e.g. over-order by client; system error, etc), they are now left with many speakers which they need to clear soon.

As such, they are able to offer you at lower than retail prices if you are interested to buy.

Should you reject the offer, that’s when the high pressure sales tactics will come in. They will bombard you with fancy looking marketing collateral, technical jargon, hound you if you try to leave and finally, lower the price significantly.

Note that it is not just speakers which can be sold, anything else can be sold too.

What to do:

Reject such offers – these are poor quality speakers / items.

14. Watch my place at the bar scam

Cocktail

How it works:

This is a very simple yet ingenious scam.

A girl might chat you up at the bar, and then leave her bag there and ask you to help look after it, as she goes get a drink / to the toilet.

She heads over to the bartender, orders a drink and then calls / waves at you. Should you wave back, you have just acknowledged to the bartender to put the drink on your tab.

What to do:

It’s alright to meet new people at a bar, just be wary of such situations.

15. Victim turned robber scam

How it works:

This can turn out in many variations.

For instance, the scammer might approach you in a dark street and ask for help as he has just been robbed.

Should you take your wallet out, the scammer’s accomplices will appear out of nowhere and snatch it away.

Besides a wallet, it can be anything, such as needing a phone to make emergency calls as the scammer’s phone has just been stolen, or simply asking what time it is and requesting you to check your phone, etc.

What to do:

Whenever you hear a “sob story”, walk off.

16. Public WIFI cyber thief

How it works:

There have been many reports where users of free WIFI in public places have had their data / identity stolen.

What to do:

Use hard-wired connection instead of public WIFI.

If you really must use public WIFI, avoid logging into personal accounts such as emails or bank accounts. Also,

Verify the network name (some hackers set up working WIFIs with similar names to the bar / place you are at to use their WIFI, where they can track your data)

Only visit the site if it has https:// in the link address, as this means that the communication between your computer and the network is encrypted and can’t be read by a third party

For those willing to pay for security, use a VPN service. The VPN acts as a physical barrier between your computer the web, and it will encrypt your communication before sending ito the web

However, note that even encrypted information can be decoded, so be wary of what sites you use / what information you enter

D. KEY SAFETY ISSUES

This is not a fear mongering exercise, as most visits are trouble free as long as you exercise some common sense.

Tsunamis: signs include abnormal ocean activity and load roars. Protect yourself from an earthquake first if there is one. Else, get to a high ground as far inland as possible.

Hurricanes: stay indoors away from windows, do not use electrical appliances / equipment, do not head out and touch debris (more injuries / deaths happen after than during).

Volcanic eruption: avoid areas downwind and river valleys downstream of the volcano, do not drive in heavy ash fall, seek shelter (if no need to evacuate) or high ground if no shelter (crouch down away from volcano, cover head with arms).

Forest fires: make yourself seen (e.g. spread out something large and bright), find shelter with little vegetation, stay low to avoid smoke.

4. Transport safety

How it works:

Road conditions are safe, though vary state to state.

Most importantly, check weather conditions before embarking on long routes or to mountainous areas.